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Can't find a solution to my sleepiness/dullness problem
In all of the meditation guides that I have read over the months, they say that when one becomes sleepy or get a feeling of dullness, one should observe those things mindfully. However, whenever I try to do this, my sleepiness does not go away. I get more than enough sleep a day (8 hours), and I feel like I am meditating correctly. What seems to be my problem then?
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Back to your prob, don't forget meditation is a tool you should carry with you for life and one type of meditation may not always work for allsituations. Experiement with your practise maybe do shorter more frequent med' session or try some different types of meditation i.e guided or loving kindness etc
But please don't stress over it, if you do you may undo the positive effects your med is having.
I hope i have been atleast a teeny bit of help.
All the best
try chanting, may not be strong enough, walking or standing meditation. Change to meditating in tai chi movements for a while. Use a meditation bell, maybe on a phone every 5 mins
I have seen this in experienced meditators - not unusual
Anger is like a one headed beast and if you can just catch it as anger you can let go of it and sever the head.
Craving is like a multi-headed hydra and is harder than anger. For the hydra you use mindfulness to go into the craving and be it. You crucify yourself eventually, sit with the craving, but before that you may indulge many times while mindful. It is a hydra because say you resist food, then 1 hour later the need to have a thrill manifests as sex or even something simple as craving for a tea. Of course don't confuse craving for simple sense experience which even a Buddha can feel the beauty of the moon or a cup of tea.
The third poison could be your dullness. This is the hardest one. To combat this one my teacher says to be spacious. Let there be space for your tiredness. You can go into the meditation and just allow drifting off to be there. Again and again and again. Make friends with the dullness and allow space for it. There is a fantasy of how great it would be if you were sharp and blissful. Allow that fantasy and make space for all of your feelings. I am kinda just guessing.
Alternatively just yell PPHAAAT and wake up.
Capala (Pacala) Sutta: Nodding
My approach to this was simply to remain with the object of attention for as long as possible, regardless of the drowsiness. I did not combat it. This led to an increasingly dull state of mind, but then after a while it would pass.
I recently came across a sutra which has some recommendations: There's also this: I found both of these in the chapter The Seven Factors for Awakening, in Wings to Awakening. I highly recommend it as a meditation manual, though it is a bit of a heavy read.
I also came across another section which may be relevant: I have since noticed that some of the dull states my mind falls into have this aversive quality.
For many, torpor and lassitude seems to arise as meditative protection from facing what one is not yet able to deal with.
I say this because of the amount of folks I've known who's journey beyond such sleepiness has only occurred after transitioning some pivotal life issue.
The tea idea is good, sometimes I include mindful sipping of green tea in my meditation. Meditating first thing, rather than before sleep might help.
Are you just getting sleepy or falling asleep? I literally fall asleep. This is what I have also observed in others. It does pass. I have never yet fallen asleep whilst doing walking meditation.
Best wishes